Method of molding surface ornamented building blocks



Apnl 19, 1949. A. JOHNSON 2,467,590

METHOD OF MOLDING SURFACE ORNAMENTED BUILDING BLOCKS Filed Jan. 20, 19474 2 Sheets-Sheet l I6 'ff/x 2 40 `f w n w) AUGUST JOHNSON 34 |9 l2 4INI/ENTOR.

ATTORNEYS April 19, 1949. A. JOHNSON METHOD OF MOLDING SURFACEORNAMENTED BUILDING BLOCKS Filed Jan. 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AUGUSTJOHNSON l INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS FIG. 7

Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF MOLDINGSURFACE ORNA- MENTED BUILDING BLOCKS August Johnson, Seattle, Wash.

Application January 20, 1947, Serial No. 723,073

1 Claim. l

My present invention relates to the art of manufactured building blocksand, in more particular, to method of molding surface ornamentedbuilding blocks.

Over a long period of years there has been considerable development inthe manner of making ornamental and structural building blocks and somedevelopment in the field of surface facet ornamentation of such blocks.These former methods, however, have either required an extensive amountof work in the nal finishing of the blocks or were characterized byfinished blocks in which the ornamental materials would be in partoverrun with the concrete grout which bonded the ornament-al facing tothe block proper.

It is to overcome the deficiencies as noted in the methods employed inthe past that I have provided my new building block and the method forconstructing the same.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide buildingblocks in which ornamental inserts may be made in the face of the blockand which will be clean without any extra work when the block isfinished.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a definite meansfor separating the imbedding material which is used to hold thesurfacing materials and ornamental items and maintain a separation fromthe concrete backing of the block.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby theconcrete surface between the rocks or other ornamental inserts may begiven a definite and artistic configuration.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby theessential corner blocks can also be made to carry the same type ofornamentation as the running blocks.

A further object of my invention is to provide an economical method ofmanufacture of ornamental or facet faced blocks.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from thedescription and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended erare inherent in the same.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing an ornamental building block madeafter the teaching of my invention.

2 and 3 are perspective views showing the two successive steps informing configurations of the exposed surface between the insertmaterials.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the form I have found to be mostuseful in employing my new method.

Fig. 5 is a typical cross-sectional view through the form of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view somewhat similar to Fig. 4 excepting it ison an enlarged scale and shows the form used to build corner blocks.

Fig. 7 is a typical cross-sectional View through the form of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a corner block as made in the formsshown in Figs. 6 and 7. f

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings, thenumerals I0 and I2 designate the two planks, which, when abutted, afterthe showing of Figs. 4 and 5, form the base upon which my blocks arebuilt. Disposed on each side of planks I0 and E2, as will be bestobserved from a study of Figs. 2 to '7 inclusive, are two thin planksvas I4 and I6. These are preferably fixedly secured to planks IIJ and I2respectively. Disposed on edge upon planks or boards I4 and I6 are theend forms of the block as I8 and I9.

Disposed within vertical slots or kerfs 20, formed within the uprightmembers I8 and I9, are a plurality of spacers 22, which form the sidewalls of my block form. As will be noted in Fig. 5, these spacer members2'2 extend at each end so as to overlap on boards I4 and I6 and thusprovide for their exact spacing vertically. When all the various spacers22 are in place, the vertical end wall members I8 and I 9 are wedgedtogether, as by the plurality of wedges 24, disposed between thevertical pins 26 and the movable vertical members I8 and I9. In thisway, the form may be set up in a rigid manner and securely tightenedand, yet, when it comes time to remove the blocks from the form andredress the matrix, the wedges can be driven out and members I8 and I9lifted out of the base for the easy removal of the blocks.

It is to be noted in Figs. 6 and '7 that in order to make the cornerblocks, I substitute for the vertical member I9 the vertical member ofgreater width, as 28. It is also necessary to provide separators as 30,having an end of increased width as is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. Itis further necessary when making the corner blocks to provide thevertical, preferably angled, members 32 on each side of the enlargedends of separators 30 so that the matrix will be held in position duringthe manufacture of the corner blocks.

In order to manufacture blocks following the principles of my invention,I normally take the base consisting of planks III and I2, with theboards as I4 and I6 secured to them, and in the space between boards I4and I6 I provide a preferably water-proof sheet 34, and for this I havefound sheet metal to be the most convenient and adaptable. I then fillthe longitudinal recess formed between boards I4 and I6 with a matrix,or pastelike material, formed of a mixture of sand, eiland clay, so thata dough-like consistency is achieved. This material is struck back levelwith the upper surface of boards I4 and I6 and is approximately one inchthick.

Upon the matrix I spread out a piece of fabric 36. This fabric may be ofvarious types ln accordance with the degree of configuration desired inthe nlshed block. The thinnest material that I found capable ofsatisfactory use is cheese cloth. However, when the space between thevarious insert rocks or other objects is desired to have a configuredsurface, the depth of these configurations can be increased by using aheavier or stiffer material. Muslin` is practical in many cases and formaximum configuration, the lighter forms of canvas or duck may be soused.

With the cloth or veil 36 in place, thevarious items that it is desiredto have show on the finished .block are imbedded in the matrix and in sodoing press the veils down into the same after the showing of Fig. 5. Ifit is desired to have the block surfaces between the insert rocks ortile or other insert figures left smooth, as soon as the rocks are inplace a rich grout of concrete and sand is poured over the rocks to sealthem and cause them to further bond with the concrete backing of theblock. When the grout is partially set but still wet, the balance of theconcrete mix is poured into the various holes and the whole struck offlevel with the top of the vertical members I8 and I9, and thus will beprovided a considerable number of blocksjall of the same outsidedimensions. It has been found, however, that many pieces of work requireor desire to employ configured surfacing ofthe block in between theinsert materials, and this form of configuration is accomplished bymeans illustrated in Figs. `2 and 3.' In Fig. 2 I have illustrated, forthe sake of clearness, just two rocks as 38 and 40. In order toconfigure the surface I have found it best to imbed by pressing rocks 38and 40into the matrix 34, and as the pressure is applied, to twist thesame.` This will cause a wrinkling of veil 36 after the showing of Fig.3. The extent of this Wrinkling will be dependent on the consistency ofthe matrix and f the firmness of the material from which veil 36 isproduced. An operator soon becomes experienced in wrinkling the materialof the veil and by inspection of the'mold asin Fig. 3, he can ygage thetype of configuration he will have in the finished block.`

After'the twisting of the rocks or other insert objects is accomplishedthe procedure is identical with the operation explained for the simpleimbedded `blocks. First the grout is poured in to a depth normallysufcient to fully cover the rocks and as shown in Fig. 1 at 42. Thebalance of the mold is then filled with a suitable concrete mix 44 so asto complete the lblock.

Sometimes it may be desirable to have a raised portion formed in thesurface of the finished block. If so, it may be achieved by merelypressing the veil into the matrix to the desired depth and lateralextent. When the concrete is then filled into the mold, a parting willbe had at the line of the veil and the desired configuration thusformed.

In the preceding description I have described the making of the usualblock as shown in Fig. 1. However, most walls require corners and thecorner block must be of special design in order to carry out theornamental pattern. Such a block I have illustrated in Fig. 8. The blockof Fig. 8 is made in the modified form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in whichthe bottom matrix 34 is put in as previously -described and then bytrowelling it in place normally I provide the vertical matrix 46, andthe veil must have an extended portion as 48 which, after covering thebottom matrix, will extend upwardly so as to cover the end matrix 46.Rocks as 50 may be then inserted and the veil twisted as previouslydescribed and then the rocks secured in place as by the heavy springwire clamp 52, normally using one such clamp for each rock. I have foundit desirable to provide a base as 53 so that each spring member will besuiciently rigid so as to hold even a rock of uneven' contour firmly inplace. The grouting is accomplished as in Fig. 4, excepting that thevertical grouting will have to be trowelled into place and be of properconsistency to stay in place until the backing concrete is poured.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the abovedescription and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention`comprehends a novel construction of surface ornamented building blocks.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

The method of making surface ornamented building blocks consisting ofcoating the outer surface forming portion of a Ibuilding block mold witha paste-like matrix, spreading a sheet of woven fabric upon the matrix,placing ornamental material on the fabric sheet, partially embeddingthem into the matrix, placing a cement grout upon the fabric sheet andabout the ornamental material, twisting the ornamental material toproduce wrinkles in the fabric sheet, and then completing the buildingblock with concrete.

AUGUST JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

